Cooking apparatus



y 1941- A. A. .PROPERNICK ETAL. ,9 6

COOKING APPARATUS Fi1 ed Sept. 3, 1938 Fig.

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coomuc APPARATUS August A. Propernlck and William F. Allenby, Bridgeport, Com, assignors to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application September 3, 1938, Serial No. 228,366

2 Claims.

cooking apparatus provided with a pair of superposed, separable, electrically heated cooking plates, and is especially useful in connection with cooking apparatus of this character having interchangeable grill and walllegrid plates. The grill plates have smooth, fiat cooking surfaces, and are used for such cooking operations as toasting sandwiches, broiling meat, baking griddle cakes, etc. The waflle grid plates are used, of course, only when it is desired to bake wallles.

Electrical resistance heating elements are provided for applying heat to both of the plates of each set, irrespective of which are used.

In a copending application of August A. Propernick, Serial No. 294,984, filed September 15, 1939 as a division of this application, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention, there are described and broadly claimed various features which are incorporated in the cooking apparatus of our present application in which there is providedmeans for automatically controlling the heating elements in accordance with the temperature of the cooking plates whether they be the grill plates or the wailie grids; and further a temperature responsive element for controlling the heating elements mounted so that it is yieldingly biased into direct thermal engagement with one of the pair of plates of the set that is being used. The yielding mounting for the thermostat is such that it will compensate for manufacturing tolerances, and also will accommodate itself to plates of different thickness.

In accordance with our present invention, we provide an elongated heat-conducting plate for supporting the temperature responsive element. Spaced-apart supporting means are provided which yieldingly hold the plate in contact with one of the cooking plates. The temperature responsive element preferably is elongated and is mounted lengthwise on the plate in close thermal relation with it so that the element throughout its length receives heat from the plate. Moreover, this invention contemplates the provision of improved switch structure for controlling the heating elements, the switch structure together with suitable temperature adjusting means also being mounted on the heat-conducting plate.

For a more complete understanding of this invention, reference should be had to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. l is a front elevation of an electrically heated cooking apparatus embodying this invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, portions being broken away so as to illustrate certain details of construction; Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken through a part of the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view showing certain of the elements of Fig. 3 in different operative positions than they have in Fig. 3, and also illustrating diagrammatically electrical heating elements for the cooking plates of the cooking apparatus of Figs. 1, 2 and 3; Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken through the line 55 of Figs. 3 and 4 and looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a portion of the mechanism shown in Figs. 3 and 4 and their relation to a wafllegrid; and Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view partly in section illustrating one of the grill cooking plates that may be used in the cooking apparatus of Figs. 1 and 2, the plate being shown on a reduced scale.

Referring to the drawing, this invention has been shown in one form as applied to electric cooking apparatus of the general character alescribed and claimed in the United States to L. Uni No. 2,009,792, dated July r This cooking apparatus comprises a off upper and lower cooking it ll. plate is is mounted in a i which, as shown, has an upright side" i structure l5 which will preferably be arranged as described in the above-mentioned Uhl patent. This upper casing is provided with a pivotally mounted handle I511.

Mounted in the base l2 below the lower plate H is a suitable heating element l6 which has a channel-like supporting member ll supported at its ends to the ends of the base wall [2a by means of screws i 8. Mounted within the support ll are a plurality of spaced electrically insulating supports it! through which a suitable coiled resistance conductor 20 is threaded, as shown in Fig. 2. The ends of this resistance coil are brought to points adjacent each other and are connected to suitable terminals it. It will be understood that the upper casing it will support a heating element 22 Fig. 4) similar to that just described and mounted in the base l2, and positioned above the upper plate iii. The two heating elements are supported in close thermal relation with the plates, and they hold substantially the same temperatures in the plates.

The upper and lower plates it and ii are removably mounted in the casing Hi and base l2 substantially in the manner disclosed in the above Uhl patent. For this purpose, the rear of each plate is provided with a pair of spaced lugs 23 which are directed through apertures provided for them in the rear of the base or casing, as the case may be; and at the front the plate is secured by means of a nut 24 threaded on a screw 2 in that is mounted in the associated base or casing. The nut has a reduced section 24b which when the nut is threaded in is received in an opening 240 provided in a part 2411 of the plate that lies in front of the front wall of the asso ciated base or casing when the plate is in cooking position. When it is desired to remove the plates, it is merely necessary to withdraw the nuts 24, and to then move the plates outwardly to withdraw their lugs 23 from their slots at the rear.

Waiile grid plates l3 and II have been shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 6. It will be understood, however, that these are interchangeable with grill plates 26, such as shown in Fig. 7 on a reduced scale, and which have a plane cooking surface 26a. Outside of the cooking surface the grill plates have about the same construction as the waiiie grids and are detachably mounted in the base and top casing H in the same manner. Generally, however, they will be thicker.

Mounted on the vertical wall I20 of the base l2 are a pair of twin supply terminals 21 (Fig. 4) that are housed in a terminal guard (Fig. 2) 21a. As shown in Fig. 4, one of the terminals 21 is connected to one of the terminals of the upper heating element 22, the opposite terminal of which is connected to one of the terminals of the lower heating element 23. The opposite terminal of this element is connected to the other supply terminal 21 through a suitable temperature control device 28.

The temperature control device 23 arranged in accordance with this invention comprises a switch 29 which is connected in the circuit between the other supply terminal 21 and the heating elements, as shown in Fig. 4. The switch comprises a relatively fixed contact 30 and a movable contact 3|. The fixed contact 30 is mounted on a rigid arm 32. This arm is pivoted at its left-hand end, as viewed in Figs. 3 and 4, to a metallic supporting member 33. This supporting member, as shown, has a right-angle form to define a horizontal leg 33!! and a vertical leg 33b. The switch arm is pivotally mounted on the vertical leg by means of a rivet 34, and the arm is frictionally held by means of a spring washer 35 interposed between the rivet 34 and the switch arm 33 so as to bias the switch arm into frictional engagement with the wall 33b.

The contact 3| is mounted on a flexible switch blade 36 which is secured at its left-hand end to the switch arm 32 and which is insulated from this arm by sheets of mica 31. Connected with the contact 3| is a lead 38 which also is connected with a binding post 39 on the switch arm by means of which electrical connection with the heating elements is made as shown in Fig. 4.

aezsaeee The right-hand end of the flexible switch arm 36, as viewed in Figs. 3 and l, carries an adjustable screw 4% which is arranged to be engaged and operated by a bi-metallic temperature responsive element ll to control the movement of the switch contact 3i toward and away from the fixed contact 36. The Iii-metallic element 4i preferably lsrof strip or bar form having its right-hand end, as viewed in Figs. 3 and 4, rlgidly secured to the upper horizontal section 33a of the support 33 and having its left-hand end free to move vertically responsively to temperature changes. It will be understood that the bimetallic bar ll will be formed of two metals having dissimilar coefficients of expansion, such as Invar and nickel.

The free end of the bi-metallic bar 31 carries an electrically insulating button 42 which is arranged to engage the screw 40 to move the switch arm 36 downwardly from its closed position of Fig. 3 to its open position of Fig. 4 when the temperature or the bi-metallic bar reaches a predetermined maximum. This, or course, interrupts the energizing circuit for the heating elements 20 and 22 to cut oil heat from the plates to permit them to cool somewhat. When the thermostatic element 4! cools to a predetermined minimum in response to this cooling of the plates,

it permits the flexible switch arm 36 to move to close the contacts to reapply the heat to the plates.

The support 33 is mounted in the base ll so that its upper horizontal face 33a is yieldingly held into direct physical contact with the lower cooking plate that is being used. It is supported on a pair of spaced L-shaped brackets 43 which have their vertical legs rigidly secured to the vertical wall l2a of the base I2 in any suitable manner, as by riveting. The horizontal legs of the brackets extend inwardly into the base and serve to support the member 33. As shown, a pair of coiled compression springs 44 are interposed between the horizontal legs and the upper wall 33a of the support 33 so as to hold the support 33 up against the bottom surface of the lower cooking plate. The springs are retained at the bottom by upright tongues 45 formed upwardly from the material of the horizontal legs, and which are received in the lower coil of the springs. Preferably also, the upper plate 33a will be provided with cup-shaped depressed sections 43 which are received by the upper turns of the coils.

The support 33 is guided in its vertical movement by means of slots 41 formed in the inner ends of the horizontal sections of the brackets, as shown more clearly in Fig. 6. These slots 41 receive the inner vertical edges of slots 43 provided in the end edges of the vertical wall 33b of the support". The bottom walls of these slots 33 function to limit the upward movement of the support 33 by engagement with the under surfaces of the brackets. The slots 48 are provided at their upper ends with deeper slots 53 which provide for the withdrawal or separation of the support 33 from the brackets. This may be accomplished by depressing the support 33 until the slots 33 register with the end sections of the brackets that define the outer walls of the slots 41, whereby the support may be freely moved outwardly from the brackets. It is reassembled in the same way only the support 33 is moved in the reverse directions. It will be understood that the bottom edge of the sl t 43 will be positioned sufliciently far below the lower this means providing for. the separation of the temperature responsive element from the cooking apparatus and its reassembly with the cooking apparatus.

The temperature adjustment of the control is eflected by shifting the position of the switcharm 32. This is accomplished by means of a cam secured to a shaft 52 that is mounted in a assume the temperature control device will control the temperature of the plates. Here, however, it relatively thin waiiie grids be used, such as bracket 53 on the vertical wall 33b of the support 33. As shown, the bracket 53 is secured to this wall by means of a rivet 54. It is prevented from rotating by means of a tongue 55 on the bracket received in a slot 56 in the wall. A pin 51 is mounted on the front end of the switch arm 32 which is received in the cam 5| so that when the cam is rotated the switch arm is pivoted on its pin 34. The initial space between the screw 40 and the button 42 determines the temperature setting. If the switch arm be moved upwardly to reduce this space, the temperature setting is lowered; whereas if it be moved downwardly to increase this space the temperature setting is increased.

An off position of the switch is obtained by an electrically insulating abutment 58 mounted on the flexible switch blade 36 and which is adapted to engage the under surface of the horizontal plate 33b. It will be observed that if the switch arm 32 be moved upwardly sufllciently far to cause the abutment to engage this under surface, upon continued upward movement of the switch arm, the contact 30 will be carried by the switch arm away from the contact 3| to open the switch, as shown in Fig. 4.

Preferably, the upper plate 33b will be provided with an aperture 59 opposite the button 42 on the thermostat so as to obviate stresses in the bimetallic bar I as it cools down to room or low temperatures.

Also, the shaft 52 will protrude through the front wall of the base I2, as shown in Fig. 5, and

a knob 60 will be secured on the protruding end of the shaft, whereby the attendant may conveniently adjust the setting of the control device. And also, it ispreferable that this'front wail l2 will be provided with a scale 6| to assist the attendant in setting the control. This scale also will be provided with the word "Oil" to indicate the of! position of the control knob 60.

In the operation of the device, it will be understood that if the grill plates 26 are being used for the purpose of frying meat, baking pancakes, toasting sandwiches and the like, the temperature control will function to hold a fairly close temperature in the plates. When the plates reach the desired temperature set by the knob 60, the thermostat will deenergize the heating elements whereupon the plates will cool somewhat; the thermostat in response to the cooling of the plates will reapply heat to the plates. If

the knob 60 be moved on the scale toward the end denoted H (denoting high) the temperature of the plates will be increased; conversely, if it be inoved toward L (denoting low) the plate temperature will be reduced.

Likewise, if the waflle grids Ill and ll be used,

shownin the drawing, and batter be poured into them when they are at abaking temperature, the temperatureof the plates will be lowered rapidly, which operation will cause the thermostat to immediately reapply, heat to the plates. When the plates are again brought; up to their initial temperature, the wailles will be cooked sufficiently. Inthis case, the thermostat functions as a timing device to measure the cooking periods. If the knob be moved toward "high" on the scale, the wailles will be browned to a greater degree. If the knob be moved toward low" they will be lighter.

It will be understood that even though the grill and waille plates vary in thickness, and even though the plates of each set may vary due to inaccuracies in manufacture, the springs 44 will force the upper surface 33a of the thermostat support into direct thermal relation with the bottom of the lower plate. That is, the bimetallic bar ll will always be forced into good thermal relation with the lower plate.

While we have shown a particular embodiment of our invention, it will be understood, of course, that we do not wish to be limited thereto since many modifications may be made, and we, therefore, contemplate by the appended claims to cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of our invention.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Cooking apparatus comprising a support, a. cooking plate removably mounted on said support, an electric heating element for applying heat to said cooking plate, a heat conducting plate, spring means-yieldingly holding said heat conducting plate in direct thermal contact with said cooking plate, a thermostatic element mounted on said heat conducting plate in good thermal relation with it, an arm mounted on said heat conducting plate so that it is movable toward and away from said plate, a resilient switch blade mounted on said arm, a fixed contact on said arm cooperating with said blade, the

blade and contact being connected in the errergizing circuit of said heating element and the thermostatic member operating the switch blade to and from said contact to control the energiza tion of said heating element, means for varying the position of said arm on said heat conducting plate to vary its position with reference to said thermostatic element and thereby vary the temperature held in said cooking plate, and'a projection on said resilient blade arranged to engage said heat conducting plate to limit the movement of said blade toward said plate so that when said arm is moved toward said plate to a predetermined position, the projection will engage said plate to prevent further movement of the switch blade whereby upon further movement of said arm toward said plate said contacts are opened.

2. Cooking apparatus comprising a support, a cooking plate removably mounted in said support, an electric heating element for applying heat to said plate, a heat conducting plate, brackets for said heat conducting plate on said support, springs interposed between said brackets and said heat conducting plate yieldingly holding the plate in direct thermal relation with said cooking plate, a thermostatic member mounted on said heat conducting plate close to and in direct 4} msww 'ohermal relcztiw v 1%, an arm pivnted at (me pemtum mm in said plate, and a projectinn end-(:0 ducting galnte 20 that its stake? am 31:1 resili am; blade arranged to engage said end is movaway 5mm 5am. plate, hm muduatmg mate to limit the movement of a resilient g mounted am said. 111m, 22 said Jamie ism-mm said plate so that when. the arm Exec cam-act m mama-ailing mm 5 make beyond a predeterbla-de, the blade and ccmmci; hemaconneciys MM 1 193mm the garojection will have engaged Q 1r; cirsuit 91 said heating elemem. "21m be prevent further movement of the :21 nestat'm member wanting the Emma why-A1 blade 50 thereby open the contact.

3:11am Us 1 5mm ccntact as central the 2'- Q- a? element, for 10 AUGUST A. PROPERNICK.

e wait-inn cf said mm m "mm? the 32 WHLIAM F. ALIENBY. 

